diff --git a/plinth.py b/plinth.py
index 2dda4287b..00a626ccb 100755
--- a/plinth.py
+++ b/plinth.py
@@ -83,24 +83,41 @@ def load_modules():
 
 def parse_arguments():
    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Plinth web interface for the FreedomBox.')
-   parser.add_argument('--pidfile', default="",
+   parser.add_argument('--pidfile',
                        help='specify a file in which the server may write its pid')
-   parser.add_argument('--directory', default="/",
-                       help='specify a subdirectory to host the server.')
+   # FIXME make this work with basehref for static files.
+   parser.add_argument('--server_dir',
+                       help='specify where to host the server.')
 
    args=parser.parse_args()
-   if args.pidfile:
-      cfg.pidfile = args.pidfile
-   else:
+   set_config(args, "pidfile", "plinth.pid")
+   set_config(args, "server_dir", "/")
+
+   return cfg
+
+def set_config(args, element, default):
+   """Sets *cfg* elements based on *args* values, or uses a reasonable default.
+
+   - If values are passed in from *args*, use those.
+   - If values are read from the config file, use those.
+   - If no values have been given, use default.
+
+   """
+   try:
+      # cfg.(element) = args.(element)
+      setattr(cfg, element, getattr(args, element))
+   except AttributeError:
+      # if it fails, we didn't receive that argument.
       try:
-         if not cfg.pidfile:
-            cfg.pidfile = "plinth.pid"
+         # if not cfg.(element): cfg.(element) = default
+         if not getattr(cfg, element):
+            setattr(cfg, element, default)
       except AttributeError:
-            cfg.pidfile = "plinth.pid"
-   return args
+         # it wasn't in the config file, but set the default anyway.
+         setattr(cfg, element, default)
 
 def setup():
-   args = parse_arguments()
+   cfg = parse_arguments()
 
    try:
       if cfg.pidfile:
@@ -146,12 +163,11 @@ def setup():
       '/favicon.ico':{'tools.staticfile.on': True,
                       'tools.staticfile.filename':
                          "%s/static/theme/favicon.ico" % cfg.file_root}}
-   cherrypy.tree.mount(cfg.html_root, args.directory, config=config)
+   cherrypy.tree.mount(cfg.html_root, cfg.server_dir, config=config)
    cherrypy.engine.signal_handler.subscribe()
 
 def main():
    setup()
-   print "%s %d" % (cfg.host, cfg.port)
 
    cherrypy.engine.start()
    cherrypy.engine.block()
diff --git a/plinth.sample.config b/plinth.sample.config
index 1134b2e81..93cd35595 100644
--- a/plinth.sample.config
+++ b/plinth.sample.config
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ status_log_file = %(data_dir)s/status.log
 access_log_file = %(data_dir)s/access.log
 users_dir = %(data_dir)s/users
 pidfile = %(data_dir)s/pidfile.pid
+server_dir = plinth/
 
 [Network]
 host = 127.0.0.1
diff --git a/share/apache2/plinth.conf b/share/apache2/plinth.conf
index f3054aaaf..2cfa9199b 100644
--- a/share/apache2/plinth.conf
+++ b/share/apache2/plinth.conf
@@ -1,53 +1,53 @@
 <VirtualHost *:80>
 
-    ## Use this rule to hang plinth off of plinth.(servername)
-    ## The DocumentRoot is set by fabric
+    ## Shared options.
     DocumentRoot /dev/null
-    ServerName plinth
-    ServerAlias plinth.*
-
     ## Force SSL
     RewriteEngine on
     ReWriteCond %{SERVER_PORT} !^443$
     RewriteRule ^/(.*) https://%{HTTP_HOST}/$1 [NC,R,L]
 
+    ## Use this rule to hang plinth off of plinth.(servername)
+    # ServerName plinth
+    # ServerAlias plinth.*
+
 </VirtualHost>
 
 <VirtualHost *:443>
 
+    ## Shared options.
+    ProxyPreserveHost on
+    DocumentRoot /usr/share/plinth/static
+    ProxyPass    /static !
     ## Enable SSL
     SSLEngine on
     SSLCertificateFile /etc/ssl/certs/ssl-cert-snakeoil.pem
     SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/ssl/private/ssl-cert-snakeoil.key
 
     ## Use this rule to hang plinth off of plinth.(servername)
-    ## The DocumentRoot is set by fabric
-    DocumentRoot /home/fbx/plinth/static
-    ServerName plinth
-    ServerAlias plinth.*
-    ProxyPreserveHost on
-    ProxyPass        /static !
-    ProxyPass        /  http://localhost:8000/
-    ProxyPassReverse /  http://localhost:8000/
-    <Proxy *>
-        Order Deny,Allow
-        Deny from All
-        Allow from 10.0.0.0/8
-        Allow from 172.16.0.0/12
-        Allow from 192.168.0.0/16
-    </Proxy>
-
-    ## Use this rule to hang plinth off a subdir.
-    ## Make sure to provide plinth with a default directory: /plinth
-    # <Location /plinth>
-    #     ProxyPass http://localhost:8000/plinth
-    #     ProxyPassReverse http://localhost:8000/plinth
-    #
+    # ServerName plinth
+    # ServerAlias plinth.*
+    # ProxyPass        /  http://localhost:8000/
+    # ProxyPassReverse /  http://localhost:8000/
+    # <Proxy *>
     #     Order Deny,Allow
     #     Deny from All
     #     Allow from 10.0.0.0/8
     #     Allow from 172.16.0.0/12
     #     Allow from 192.168.0.0/16
-    # </Location>
+    # </Proxy>
+
+    ## Use this rule to hang plinth off a subdir.
+    ## Make sure to provide plinth with a default directory: /plinth
+    <Location /plinth>
+        ProxyPass        http://localhost:8000/plinth
+        ProxyPassReverse http://localhost:8000/plinth
+
+        Order Deny,Allow
+        Deny from All
+        Allow from 10.0.0.0/8
+        Allow from 172.16.0.0/12
+        Allow from 192.168.0.0/16
+    </Location>
 
 </VirtualHost>
diff --git a/share/init.d/plinth b/share/init.d/plinth
index ff694c482..114fa3240 100755
--- a/share/init.d/plinth
+++ b/share/init.d/plinth
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ NAME=plinth
 
 DAEMON=/usr/bin/plinth
 PID_FILE=/var/run/plinth.pid
+SERVER_DIR=/plinth
 
 PLINTH_USER=plinth
 PLINTH_GROUP=plinth
@@ -28,7 +29,8 @@ test -x $DAEMON || exit 0
 case "$1" in
     start)
         log_daemon_msg "Starting $DESC" "$NAME"
-        start_daemon -p $PID_FILE $DAEMON --pidfile=$PID_FILE
+        start_daemon -p $PID_FILE $DAEMON --pidfile=$PID_FILE \
+            --server_dir=$SERVER_DIR
         log_end_msg $?
         ;;
     stop)